Sweet healing from honey and brown sugar

by Elle Febbo
Honey isn’t just for tea and biscuits anymore, and brown sugar isn’t just for baking.
Health experts from acne.com are now referencing honey as a healing agent when it comes to our skin, and brown sugar as a safe, natural cleansing agent for dermatological use.

Honey <http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/honeyhistory.htm>  acts as a natural cleansing and calming compound, and is said to clear up even the ugliest blemish over just an 8 hour night’s sleep. Brown sugar removes dead skin cells and cleanses pores <https://www.examiner.com/x-13785-Mineral-Makeup-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Facial-cleansers-for-matte-oilfree-skin> , making way for supple, healthy looking skin.

Could two of the best beauty picks for stellar skin been right under our nose (or, on our toast), all along?

Below are a few ways to make your natural sweeteners do a lot more for you than add to your calorie count.

1. When you feel or see a blemish starting to appear, dab on a fingertip of honey to the affected area, and cover with a band-aid before bed. By dawn, it should be gone.

2. Mix 1/8th cup honey, and 2 teaspoons of whole milk together in a dish. Cleanse face and neck with milk and honey mixture, then rinse and moisturize as usual.

3. Queen Bee Exfoliating Scrub (Available in most common kitchens):

Naturally exfoliating your skin with a gentle exfoliant, such as brown sugar, will remove dead skin cells from the skin's surface while delicately cleansing pores. Upon completion, skin will feel smooth, and tone will be more even.

Recipe:

4 TBSP brown sugar

2 tsp honey

2 TBSP milk or water

2 drops of wheat germ oil (optional)

Apply to face, leave on 15 minutes, and rinse with cool water. Gently pat face dry with a clean towel, and moisturize.

Of course, after cleansing face and neck thoroughly, always use a moisturizer with a minimum of SPF 15 .

One more quick tip: Use honey from a jar; it’s thicker than what you’ll get from a squeeze bottle, and the honey does have to stay on your face to work, after all.